Bank Employees Demonstrate in Jammu Under UFBU Banner for 5-Day Work Week

Bank Employees Demonstrate in Jammu Under UFBU Banner for 5-Day Work Week

Jammu, December 23:

Lakhs of bank employees staged demonstrations today in state capitals across the country, demanding long-pending reforms in the banking sector. In Jammu, the protest was led by Mr. Rajesh Mehta, UT Secretary of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh of All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC).

The demonstration in Jammu witnessed participation from employees of major public sector banks including State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, and Bank of Baroda, among others.

The protest was organized under the banner of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), a joint platform comprising AIBOC, AIBEA, NCBE, BEFI, INBEC, INBOC, NOBW and NOBO. The unions raised strong objections to several policy decisions of the Government, terming them anti-employee and detrimental to the welfare of bankers.

A key demand highlighted during the agitation was the immediate introduction of a 5-day work week in the banking industry. Union leaders asserted that the demand has been pending for years despite assurances and is essential for ensuring work-life balance and efficiency.

Other major demands raised during the protest included opposition to FDI in the banking and insurance sectors, resistance to privatization of banks and financial institutions, and objection to the appointment of Managing Directors and Executive Directors from the private sector. The unions also demanded a uniform Performance Linked Incentive (PLI), opposed the Department of Financial Services’ proposal of discriminatory PLI, sought restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and abolition of the New Pension Scheme (NPS), and called for revision of pension for retired bank employees.

Additionally, the unions opposed what they termed as the unilateral approach of the Department of Financial Services (DFS) in banking matters, regressive amendments in Labour Codes, and interference of DFS in policy decisions and day-to-day functioning of individual banks.

Union leaders stated that today’s demonstrations are part of a nationwide agitation programme, which will culminate in an All India Strike in the third week of January 2026. They warned that if their demands remain unaddressed, the intensity of the protests will be further escalated in the coming weeks.